Summary

Incumbent serves as the VISN 5 Tele-Mental Health Clinical Resource Hub Social Worker at the GS-12 grade - practices social worker at a level utilizing advanced practice skills and judgement. The social worker as specialized knowledge of practice related to assessment - diagnosis - and treatment of a variety of mental health conditions.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Education: Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited
• A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work
• Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work
• Licensure
• Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• Current state requirements may be found by going to http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/T38Hybrid/
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: GS-12 Senior Social Worker (1) Experience/Education
• The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which - one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level
• Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment
• Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice
• Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty
• (2) Licensure/Certification
• Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination - unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California - which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure
• (3) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations
• This includes individual - group - and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management
• Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice
• Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area - utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes
• Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area - as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills
• Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession - and to write policies - procedures - and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area
• (4) Assignments
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity (difficulty) - and variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Senior social workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work at an advanced level
• Senior social workers typically practice in a major program area such as but not limited to: Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site
• a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Center - or a national VHA referral center - such as a national Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or a national Transplant Center - or other program areas of equivalent scope and complexity
• The senior social worker may be assigned administrative responsibility for clinical program development and is accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns
• Assignments include clinical settings where they have limited access to onsite supervision such as CBOCs or satellite outpatient clinics
• The senior social worker collaborates with the other members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans - ensures equity of access - service - and benefits to this population - ensures the care provided is of the highest quality
• The senior social worker provides leadership - direction - orientation - coaching - in-service training - staff development - and continuing education programs for assigned social work staff
• They serve on committees - work groups - and task forces at the facility - VISN and national level - or in the community as deemed appropriate by the supervisor - Social Work Executive or Chief of Social Work Services
• This assignment is to be relatively few in number based on the size of the facility/service and applying sound position management
• This assignment must represent substantial additional responsibility over and above that required at the full performance grade level and cannot be used as the full performance level of this occupation
• Preferred Experience: The ability to provide individual - group - and family psychotherapy at the independent practice level - utilizing evidenced based treatments that may include: Cognitive Processing Therapy and/or Prolonged Exposure - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Cognitive Behavioral - Therapy for Insomnia/Pain - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and/or - Motivational interviewing
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the work are generally minor and are generally sedentary in nature
• Physical activity involves sitting - standing - walking - bending - stooping - climbing stairs - and carrying light items such as papers - books or other supplies
• The incumbent uses a computer and standard office equipment to complete tasks
• The emotional demands can be stressful in working with the Veteran/Patient population and their families/caregivers
• A level of self-awareness is essential.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION The Tele-Mental Health Clinical Resource Hub Senior social worker has the ability and skills to provide individual - group - and family psychotherapy at the independent practice level - utilizing evidenced based treatments that may include: Cognitive Processing Therapy and/or Prolonged Exposure - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia/Pain - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and/or Motivational Interviewing
• The Senior Social Worker may participate in tele-mental health or similar activities in order to provide services for Veterans who are located a prohibitive distance from VA facilities
• The incumbent is familiar with and provides treatment for a population with a range of mental health conditions and is not limited to only treating one disorder or specializing in only one type of clinical treatment
• The Incumbent assesses the psychosocial and environmental needs or dysfunctions that are secondary to or exacerbating the psychiatric problems
• The Social Worker establishes and maintains a therapeutic relationship with the Veteran - family - and/or significant others - if appropriate - and formulates treatment goals that address identified needs - stressors and problems
• The Incumbent completes suicidal risk screens and assessments - psychosocial assessments - integrated summaries - clinical reminders - patient education notes - and other documentations - as indicated
• Incumbent follows all applicable Standard Operating Procedures - Policies - Handbooks and Directives
• Incumbent will network both internally and externally to the facility and coordinate community-based services as may be necessary
• this may include information and referral for additional services from other VA programs - other government programs and community agency programs
• Independently identifies high-risk patients through psychosocial assessments and other assessment tools
• Incumbent provides crisis intervention services - seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint - coordinates family conferences and serves as liaison to family members
• Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with Veterans and their families
• Incumbent is able to independently work with patients and families who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical and social problems utilizing individual - group and family counseling and therapy skills
• Independently provides consultation services to other staff regarding the psychosocial needs of veterans and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and adherence to treatment plan
• Ability to evaluate incumbents own practice through professional peer review - case conferences and other organizational means
• Incumbent is able to communicate effectively - both orally and in writing - with people from varied backgrounds
• Incumbent may provide case management services
• Other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: NOTE: This position has been approved for a Return-to Office (RTO) Mid-Term Exception - which allows for the facility leader to grant employees in the identified positions an extension to RTO until further guidance is provided
• - as determined by agency policy
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 482-24023-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized